Post by Emerald City on Oct 30, 2004 15:33:43 GMT -5
A member of rapper Jay Z's entourage released pepper spray at R. Kelly during a joint concert at Madison Square Garden, Kelly's publicist said. The spraying happened about an hour into Friday night's show, when Kelly walked onstage and said he saw two people in the audience waving guns, publicist Allan Mayer said.
Kelly abruptly stopped his set around 9:30 p.m. while MSG security employees searched for weapons.
Finding none, guards told Kelly it was safe to continue performing, Mayer said. But as the singer was making his way back to the stage, a man in Jay Z's entourage — apparently miffed that Kelly interrupted the show — sprayed him and two of his bodyguards in the face.
"I'm pretty sure Jay didn't realize what was going on," Mayer said in a phone interview.
All three men were treated at St. Vincent's Hospital and released, Mayer said.
Jay Z performed for another 45 minutes after Kelly was sprayed, Mayer said.
In a radio interview on Hot 97 FM radio Friday, Jay Z said he couldn't understand why Kelly left the stage.
"You can't get a gun inside Madison Square Garden," the rapper said. "If people give me love he can't take it."
The two are in the midst of a 40-city "Best of Both Worlds" tour, scheduled to run through Nov. 28.
The Chicago Sun-Times reported discord between the two performers after Kelly showed up more than two hours late for a show in Chicago this month.
New York City police said they had no information about Friday's incident.
